Character carrier for composing machines



March 10, 1931. 'H|| L 1,796,023

CHARACTER CARRIER FOR COMPOSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 12, 1919 f QL/L QZENTOR ATTORNEY 16 eliminated.

Patented Mar. 10,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE PERCY L. HILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; W. ANDERSON ADMINISTRATOR OI SAID PERCY L. HILL, DECEASED CHARACTER CARRIER FOR COMPOSING MACHINES Application filed August 12, 1919. Serial No. 317,044.

This invention relates to composing ma- .chines, such as the linotype, the intertype, and other machines, where the character carrying elements are provided with indicating charaters for the guidance of the operator,

etc., and with respect to its most specific features to the character carrying element of such machines, as. for instance exemplified in that of the hnotype machine and others o inv'olving'line casting operations.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a practical character carrying element by means of which eye-strain in reading one or more characters is practically Another object of the invention is the provision of an eflicient character carrying element wherewith the operation of composing may be effected with a high degree of accuracv.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a character carrying element the utilization of which results in an increased output of work.

@125 Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of =elements and arrangement of parts which "'l'l-be exemplified in the construction here fterset forth, andthe scope of the applieation of which will be indicated in the '{following claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming ,35 part of thisispecification, and wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the severa1 .views.

Fig.1 is a perspective view of a character carrying element embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, showing the opposite side, and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of a portion of the character carrying element.

For the purpose of disclosing the inven- 4; tion, there is illustrated a character carrying element, or carrier, 1, such as is ordi narily employed in a linotype machine.

This element 15 provided with the usual appurtenances which co-operate in the machine to select and deliver it to the type casting operation and to distribute it after casting. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is adapted for other types of composing machine and for character carrying elements of different kinds.

The numeral 2 indicates one edge of the carrier, 1, on which is a character such as a letter, numeral, or other sign to be reproduced in the composition. On the opposite edge of the carrier is another character, indicated by the numeral 3, being, in the present instance, the letter H, which indicates to the operator that the character on the opposite edge is also the letter H. The foundation of the carrier, 1, may be of brass or other metal, and the indicating character, 3, is impressed therein as by being sunk, or made intaglio, in its edge. y

The indicating character, 3, is made to contrast sharply in color with the surrounding surface, or field 4c, the indicating character being white and the surrounding surface, or field dark as, black, the white character ,being clearly and distinctly visible upon the black field.

To obtain such result in the character carrying element illustrated, the intaglio indicating character 3 and the surface 4, in which it lies may be treated to color both black, as for instance by treating it with suitable chemicals which will color the brass black.

Then the intaglio indicating character may be given the sharply contrasting color by a light colored, or white filling. For example, by employing a white paint of pro er consistency, the intaglio indicating c aracter may be filled in flush with the surface in which it lies, as illustrated in Fig. 3 which shows a section of a portion of the carrier 1 t rlgr sversely of the cross line 5 in .the letter The coloring for the field and for the indii tact with molten .type metal and therefore,

that the coloring substances selected should be those which are not in urlously affected but, as well, the light-reflecting quality of the field as compared with that of the mdi eating character conduces to the more ready reading of the indicating character. The dark, as black, field of the carrier, is of subdued or low light-reflecting qual ty so that rays from this source do not impalr the clear view of the indicating character, as for instance, by dazzling the sight. On the other hand, the white indlcatlng character, while of high light-reflecting qual1ty, 1s relatively small in area as compared with the dark field, and stands out in the dark field as a relatively bright character, the shape of which is immediately appreciated by the eye of the observer.

The operators of composing machines of the kind referred to work under conditions which not only render it diflicult to read the indicating characters of the carriers but cause severe eye-strain, due to the constant attention required in reading for long: periods of time under poor lighting condltions, 'most of the work being done under electric light. This li ht is ordinarily directed upon the exposed e ges of the line of carriers or matrices when collected in the assembly box and since these edges have'heretofore been usually of brass, have high light reflecting quality, an injurious glare of light has been reflected into the eyes of the operators. The usual indicating character of a composing machine is merely a properly shaped recess in the edge of the carrier, the recess being of the same color, as the surrounding surface. Eye-strain consequent upon the reading of such indicating characters is evident.

By applicants, invention such eye-strain is practically eliminated, even under the poor lighting conditions usually found. In consequence of this relief, the accuracy of the work is enhanced, the eye being able to function more correctly because of relief from strain. As a further consequence, the output of work is increased because of the fact that the line of character carrying elements in course of assembly may be easily read and any errors quickly erceived and corrected. When it is remem ered that the positioning of an improper character in a single line in a linotype machine requires the recasting of the entire line, the increased efficiency by reason of the elimination of tendency to error in this regard is apparent.

Thus, by the above described construction,

are accomplished, among others, the objects hereinbefore referred t As many changes could be made in the above construct on and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I mentioned character being white.

3. A character carrying element for line castin machines having on its edge an indicating character in sharp color contrast to that of thesurrounding surface of said element.

4:. A character carrying element for line casting machines having on its edge an indicating character in sharp color contrast to that of the'surrounding surface of said element and of higher light-reflecting quality than that of the surrounding surface of said element.

5. A character carrying element for line casting machines having on its edge an indicating character in sharp color contrast to that of the surrounding surface of said element and of higher light-reflecting quality than that of the surrounding surface of said element, the light-reflecting quality of said surrounding surface being low and that of said character being high.

6. A metal character carrying element for' subdued light-reflecting quality as compared with the light-reflecting quality of said indicating character.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PERCY L. HILL. 

